Everyone in the world should be given a low-bandwidth connection to the net, preferably for free, says Tim Berners-Lee.
"I would like to see people enrolled in a cheap data plan by default. I would like them to get it for free," the founder of the web said during the Nokia World conference, which was held in London this week.
At present, just 20 percent of the world's population has access to the net. However, Berners-Lee questioned whether the remaining 80 percent could live without an internet connection.
"I initially assumed you should get them water first, you should get them healthcare and then it is the luxury of getting the web," he said.
"But it is not actually like that. The web can be pretty instrumental in getting them access to healthcare."
The net could help create healthcare systems in the countries that currently do not these services, as well as ensuring people across the globe can "create their own communities and share their own information".
Berners-Lee said mobile networks provide the opportunity to offer everyone in the world a connection to the web. He believes that if networks offer free connections now, consumers will be willing to pay for net access in the future when they become more affluent.
"Not being a part of the information society is a really important thing."
See also: How to get 100Mb broadband
Comments
GetReal said: Cyteck - It would be equally true to say we live in an age of mis-information It might be true to say our society in its present form might collapse but emphasise might Computers arent the be all and end all Theyre tools not godsTheyre frequently or apparently in the case of systems ordered by HM Gov always flawed Trivial input errors have dramatic results apparently unforeseen by the programmers who fail to believe in the falibility of their creations or the end usersComputers are wonderful tools Theyve changed the way we in the developed world live But for now Ill keep my arteries and veins a long way ahead of the internet in my list of priorities
GetReal said: Getting Real - The web can be pretty instrumental in getting them access to healthcareThatll be a great comfort to people who may have to walk for days to reach what is at best fragmented health care And of course youll already have delivered literacy and basic IT training Things we take for granted and moan about - eg health service - dont exist in third world countries especially rural areas The advice on what to do before professionals can attend in most third world countries Possibly dig your own grave
Cyteck said: I think your missing the central point perhaps we now live in an age of information data and this is becoming increasingly important to all aspects of life It is access to data especially access to accurate timely data that can be extremely powerful If data amp information are the life blood of many organizations amp businesses then having internet access is as important to having arteries amp viens in your body ie without them your dead this is how important the internet has become Our entire society would literally collapse if the entire internet were to fail catastrophically So believe it or not your life literally depends upon the web
Getting Real said: Get Real - Read again - he does not suggest that internet comes before water just that it is at least as important as healthcare because quote - The web can be pretty instrumental in getting them access to healthcare - This is quite obvious if you stop and think for a second because healthcare most definitely includes advisory services In fact advice on what to do before professionals can attend is often critical to the survival of patients The net can clearly help provide this service without even the need for the professionals giving advice to be in the same country
GetReal said: And an internet connection is going to help somebody who doesnt have access to clean drinking water how